Update
Here’s a small update on the last blog post where I mentioned that elderly people don’t really use technology for entertainment. Some family members recently got a new TV and were complaining that Netflix is installed everywhere. I talked to them about it and they told me they don’t really understand why it’s there at all. They said they don’t need it and would rather just watch whatever is on TV something random, without having to think about it.
They also mentioned that on Netflix they often don’t even know what they would search for, which makes the whole experience feel unnecessary. With TV, something is always already playing. It feels like they just want to watch without having to decide first and the topic itself doesn’t matter that much. This is something i found quite interesting and will do some research on.
I beliefe this phenomenon might be explained by the following:
Reduced Processing Capacity and Cognitive Effort
- As individuals age, their available processing capacity and attentional resources decline, meaning they can process fewer discrete bits of information in a given time. [1]
- Self-Initiated Processing: Digital entertainment often requires “self-initiated” processing, such as navigating complex menus or reorganising information in working memory, which shows substantial losses with age. [1]
- Cognitive Load: If a digital interface is cluttered or complex, it demands high cognitive effort to navigate. When the effort required to make decisions within an app (such as choosing content or managing settings) exceeds the user’s available resources, it leads to frustration and a desire to stop using the technology. [2]
The Relationship Between Ease of Use and Usefulness
- For older adults, perceived usefulness is deeply linked to ease of use.
- Immediate Benefits: Older adults are less likely to perceive a technology as useful if its benefits do not manifest easily and quickly during actual use. [3]
- The “Visual Gymnastics” Effect: Users who have already spent a long day performing “visual gymnastics” to focus on digital content may find it harder to engage with non-standard or complex designs. If a digital entertainment platform requires unnecessary cognitive effort to understand its navigation, it disrupts the user’s mental model and erodes trust. [4]
Age Patterns in Entertainment Attitudes
- There is a pronounced age effect specifically regarding communication and entertainment devices (such as tablets and social networks), where positive attitudes towards them fall significantly as age increases. [3]
- Significant Decline: Compared to those in their 50s, individuals aged 80+ are 47 to 48 percentage points less likely to value entertainment devices. [4]
- Experience vs. Effort: This decline is partly attributed to older generations having less acquaintance and experience with these devices. Consequently, every interaction requires more “learning” effort, which can be exhausting, leading to a lower perception of the technology’s overall usefulness. [4]
Usability Barriers as a Deterrent
- Design flaws that increase decision-making friction directly impact perceived usefulness:
- Navigation Issues: Confusing or cluttered navigation leads to hesitation and abandonment. [4]
- Information Overload: Seniors are often more thorough in searching for information but are more prone to being distracted by irrelevant details and losing focus. [5]
- Numeric and Spatial Fluence: A decline in numeracy can make it difficult for older adults to interpret data-heavy interfaces (like those found in complex gaming or streaming settings), further complicating their ability to see the technology as a “help” or “value”. [2]
Summary Table: Effort vs. Perceived Usefulness
| Barrier | Impact on Perceived Usefulness |
|---|---|
| Complex Interfaces | Increases cognitive load, leading to user errors and frustration. |
| Delayed Rewards | If benefits aren’t immediate, the user views the tool as cumbersome rather than useful. |
| Working Memory Decline | Makes active updating and navigation effortful and “costly” to carry out. |
| Lack of Consistency | Disrupts mental models, causing hesitation and a loss of confidence. |
Sources
[1] F. Craik, ‘Memory Changes in Normal Aging’, Current Directions in Psychological Science – CURR DIRECTIONS PSYCHOL SCI, vol. 3, pp. 155–158, 10 1994.
[2] G. A. Wildenbos, L. Peute, and M. Jaspers, “Aging barriers influencing mobile health usability for older adults: A literature based framework (MOLD-US),” International Journal of Medical Informatics, vol. 114, pp. 66–75, Jun. 2018, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2018.03.012.
[3] N. Halmdienst, M. Radhuber, and R. Winter-Ebmer, “Attitudes of elderly Austrians towards new technologies: communication and entertainment versus health and support use,” European Journal of Ageing, vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 513–523, Apr. 2019, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-019-00508-y.
[4] Thefinchdesignagency, “Building User Trust in UX Design: Proven Strategies for Better Engagement,” Medium, Feb. 05, 2025. https://medium.com/@thefinchdesignagency/building-user-trust-in-ux-design-proven-strategies-for-better-engagement-c975aa381516
[5] D. Orzeszek et al., ‘Beyond participatory design: Towards a model for teaching seniors application design’, arXiv preprint arXiv:1707. 05667, 2017.
